1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a pressing force input device that can distinctly detect operations of different directions with a single pressing force sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A pressing force sensor that obtains detection output proportional to a pressing force has been used in various input devices.
In a pressing force input device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-10457, a pressure sensor, which is a pressing force sensor, is in contact with a back surface of a center portion of a rectangular touch panel. The touch panel is provided with a projection along the entire periphery thereof, and the projection is pressed against a back surface of a support means by the force of a spring. When the touch panel is pressed at an arbitrary position, the touch panel is tilted about a contact portion between the projection and the support means which portion is located on the side of the pressure sensor opposite to the pressed point, whereby a pressing operation is performed on the pressure sensor.
In the above embodiment, even when any position of the rectangular touch panel is pressed, the pressing force can be detected with the pressure sensor.
As described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-10457, the existing pressing force input device employing the pressing force sensor (pressure sensor) can detect a change of a pressing force in one direction or a change of a pressing stroke in one direction with the single pressing force sensor, but cannot distinctly detect operation forces of different directions with the single pressing force sensor.
Therefore, in order to distinctly detect operations of different directions, two or more pressing force sensors are required. Thus, the device is increased in size and the cost of the device is also increased.
These and other drawbacks exist.